Von der Leyen places in Putin the “responsibility” to extend the grain agreement with Ukraine

July 13 () –

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asserted this Thursday before the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the one who now has the “responsibility” for extending the export agreement grain and agricultural products from Ukrainian ports.

“Russia has a responsibility to prolong it, otherwise global food insecurity will be the consequence. So now the ball is in President Putin’s court and the world is watching,” Von der Leyen said as part of the visit. from Guterres to Brussels.

Likewise, Von der Leyen has valued the “tireless efforts” of the Secretary General of the United Nations to try to meet the conditions to extend an agreement that, he assures, “the world needs”.

Russia and Ukraine reached in July last year — with the mediation of Turkey and the UN — an agreement for the export of Ukrainian grains and Russian agricultural products through the Black Sea ports and through the Bosphorus Strait.

Although the parties have managed to extend the pact on previous occasions, Moscow now says it is not willing to do so until steps are taken to ensure that that part of the agreement that benefits it is fulfilled. The current extension expires on July 17.